Hero Bowl: Welton, Manyeah make hay in relay

MARPLE >> Penn Wood’s Tyreem Welton didn’t run at last week’s PIAA Track & Field Championships, but he got a chance to end his Patriots career on a high note Thursday night at the Hero Bowl.

Welton ran the third leg for the victorious white team at the halftime 4 x 400 relay. He was matched against Penn Wood teammates Todd Jackson — who also ran third — and the anchor for the red team, Inerji Sirleaf. Welton relished the opportunity.

“I think it is the one time all the seniors in track come together,” he said. “I came last year. Each year it’s a nice thing to see.”

While Welton maintained the white team’s lead, fellow Patriot Dennis Manyeah made sure it held up on the anchor leg. He made the last 400 meters look easy after a successful trip to the state meet, where he finished second in the high jump, seventh in the 4 x 400 and sixth in the 4 x 800. That team will head to the New Balance nationals later this month.

“This is great,” Manyeah said. “Just to get all these people together, the competition was different.”
Manyeah had a ready-made support man in Welton.

“I’ve been running with him since middle school,” Welton said. “And I’ll be cheering him on at nationals.”

Bonner & Prendergast’s Ethan Cook, state medal winner in the 200-meter dash, ran the opening leg and quickly spotted the white team a substantial lead ahead of Upper Darby’s Jarnail Dhillon. Christian Kahn of Ridley did his best to close the gap but David Whitfield, also of Bonner & Prendie, kept Cook’s advantage.

“It’s kind of last minute,” said Whitfield. “Took a lot of water and was ready to go. We’re all good friends.”